Familiar Faces, Strange Places
by ELY20
Summary: This story will take place directly after the last episode of season 2. Rick and the group find a new home in a new town. There they will run into familiar faces, as well as a few new ones, and strange new places. Daryl and Carol will become closer. This story will not follow the events of season 3.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to The Walking Dead.**

**Author's Note: This is the first chapter of a story I wrote a while ago, as it picks up where season 2 left off. So there is a lot of backtracking, and a lot of characters that are dead now are still alive. I encourage everyone to read and review so I'll know if I should continue. Thanks!**

Carol shifted uncomfortably on the cold hard ground, trying to find a comfy position in the dirt to no avail. Fed up with tossing and turning, she finally sat up, untangling her limbs from the thin blanket that was supposed to offer warmth during the cool night. Cricking her neck, she looked over to her right to see T-Dog still keeping watch by the fire. His head was bowed low, as if he were in deep thought or prayer. She imagined that the events from earlier were still running through his mind: the walker attack on Hershel's farm, Rick's revelations concerning Jenner and Shane, and Rick's ultimatum to the group. Those were just a few of the reasons why she herself couldn't get to sleep.

Rick's ultimatum to stay with him or leave and fend for themselves had left everyone shaken and confused. This was a side of Rick that no one had seen before. Carol wasn't too sure she cared for it. Rick seemed like he was slowly starting to unravel, not to mention he was keeping major secrets from the rest of the group. That was something else Carol hadn't had the energy to think on: Jenner's revelation. What did that even mean that they were all infected? Any walker she'd ever seen had bite marks on it and anyone she ever saw turn got bit first. Maybe Jenner was crazy. Maybe he was right. Either way, Carol was going to choose to put that one on the back burner until she got more information.

She also wasn't sure how she felt about Shane's murder at Rick's hand. On the one hand she supposed he'd had it coming. He had definitely been off his rocker, and he and Rick had seemed to be fighting more often. Not to mention him killing Randall in the woods and making it look as if Randall had gotten one up on him. She wasn't too sure what all that was about. On the other hand, though, Shane had been nothing but kind to her, if not sometimes flighty. She sensed, however, that there was more to the situation than Rick or Lori were letting on, so she put that one on the back burner too.

A rustling sound coming from somewhere behind T-Dog startled her. Just as she got a firm grip on her pocket knife, she saw Daryl getting up from his pallet on the ground and realized the men were switching out. T-Dog stumbled around in the dark, picking his way over the rest of the sleeping camp, trying to find a spot to bed down for the rest of the night. He jumped and almost fell on top of Glen when he made out Carol's form sitting in the darkness with a knife in hand.

"Jesus, Carol, you 'bout gave me a damn heart attack! What are you doin' up? And with that knife in your hand?" T-Dog whispered fiercely. She could tell she had really freaked him out by his labored breathing and the way he gripped his ax so tightly.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you. I couldn't sleep is all, and I thought Daryl was a walker until I saw him getting up," She smiled to try and reassure him. After a half second, he gave her shoulder a squeeze and went to lie down in a grassy spot near Beth.

The other thing that kept bothering Carol was her last conversation with Daryl, the one they'd had right before Rick's speech. She'd told him that he was nothing but Rick's henchman and that she was nothing more than a burden. She'd told him that he was a man of honor that could just as easily lead the group or survive on his own. She'd been suggesting that they break apart from the group and go off on their own together.

He hadn't been hearing any of it, though. He insisted Rick was a man of honor as well and that he hadn't done anything to make Daryl doubt him. Daryl didn't want to leave this group. Even though they made him do all the dirty work, he still wanted to stick with them. She supposed it was because he liked the feeling of being wanted and needed for the first time. She couldn't exactly deny the man that, could she? As she looked over the sullen man staring into the dying fire, she knew deep down inside of her that she would follow wherever he led, and if Daryl wanted to stick around with this group, then she would too. Now she needed to let him know that.

Carol got up quietly, taking care not to get tangled in her blanket again. Daryl gave her a single nod as she came around the fire to sit next to him. His crossbow was strapped across his back, and he held a small pistol in his hands; he was always ready for a battle. They sat side by side for several minutes just looking into the fire. Carol was trying to find the right words to apologize for their conversation earlier. She guessed that he was probably trying to figure out what the hell she was doing all up in his personal space.

"Daryl, I want to apologize for what I said earlier, about you being Rick's henchman. I was just scared is all. About the walkers and what Jenner said and Shane's death. It's a lot to take in, but I never should have taken my fears out on you. I'm sorry."

She placed a hand softly on his knee and turned her face up to his so she could read his expression in the fire's glow. A tremor went through his entire leg; he shifted uncomfortably from her touch and she took her hand away to let it rest on her thigh.

"S'okay," Daryl replied, casting a glance down at her and giving her one of his half smiles, "I understand where you were comin' from."

"So we're okay then?" She asked quickly, not bothering to hide the anticipation in her voice.

"We're alright," He replied, "Now go get some sleep. Got a big day ahead of us in a few hours."

Carol stood, trying to hide the large grin spreading across her face. It was good to have a touch of normalcy in her life again.

"I just want you to know that I'll go wherever you go, Daryl. If you feel that it's right to stay with this group, then so do I. I just don't want you to go anywhere without me," With that, she walked away from him and headed back to her pallet on the ground.

As she made her way around the fire, a whisper on the wind stopped her cold. She kept walking quickly, but she knew what she'd heard, and it brought an even bigger smile to her face. Daryl's voice had come to her on the wind saying, "You're not a burden to me, Carol."

It may not have been much to go on, but it was the closest thing she was going to get from Daryl telling her that he didn't want her going anywhere without him either.


	2. Chapter 2

Carol groaned aloud as the early morning sun hit her square in the face, waking her up faster than any cup of coffee could. She sat up gingerly, her whole body aching from sleeping on flat hard ground all night. She stretched her arms over her head and looked around camp to see who was awake, yawning in the process. Everyone still seemed to be sleeping except for Daryl, who was missing, no doubt out in the woods hunting for breakfast, and Rick, who was stoking a new fire. He noticed Carol looking at him and gave her a single nod in greeting. Feeling bad for the way she had talked to him last night, she decided to go and apologize.

"Good morning, Carol," Rick said as she came to sit down beside him. Her heart suddenly ached for Rick, seeing how exhausted and down he looked. What remained of his control was quickly running out, and she knew the burden of leadership was wearing on him greatly.

Taking his hand in hers, she said, "Rick, I'm sorry for the things I said last night. I wasn't thinking straight. I was just scared and confused. I know that you're a good leader, and I'm sorry I ever questioned your leadership. I want you to know that I'm staying with the group."

As she said the last sentence, Daryl came into camp, six squirrels strapped to his hip. When their eyes met, he gave her a single nod of what seemed like…approval. He was glad that she was setting things right with Rick.

"Thank you, Carol. I really appreciate the apology, and I'm glad you're stayin' with the group," Rick gave her a small smile and a pat on the back before getting up and heading over to one of the vehicles, leaving Daryl and Carol alone together.

"Looks like you were busy this morning," Carol said by way of greeting as Daryl sat down next to her, plucking a dead squirrel off of the rope tied around his hip.

"Mmhmm," He replied. He immediately went to skinning the squirrel splayed across his lap, getting blood and guts all over his jeans.

"You do know I'm the one that has to wash those, right? Can't you do a girl a favor and skin that think over a rock?"

"All out of favors," He said, giving her one of his rare smirks. He turned then to continue skinning the squirrel on the log they were sitting on, and Carol smiled inwardly.

Several skinned squirrels later, Daryl and Carol had a system going. He would skin and clean them, and she would place them on the end of skewers to cook in the flames. One by one, each member of the group started to wake up, gathering around the fire for breakfast. Carol noticed Rick's absence throughout breakfast and turned to Daryl to ask him if he knew of his disappearance. As if reading her mind, Daryl gave a nod of his head, and she turned to see Rick returning from where their cars were parked. There was purpose in his step and a map clutched his fist.

He approached the group warily, it seemed, and everyone stopped eating to give him their full attention. Rick squatted down on the ground and spread out the map in front of him; everyone got up to gather around him so they could see the map.

"I've been looking at this map all morning, and I've noticed a couple of things. If we keep headin' straight through the woods, we'll eventually come across a prison. If we go back the opposite way, we'll be heading back to Atlanta. I found another route on the map that leads away from both the prison and Atlanta. Looks like it leads to a bunch of farm land with a couple small towns. The prison might be a smart choice for security reasons, but it has to be crawling with walkers, and I don't want to risk running into survivors inside. I say our best bet is open farm land. We can find a place, go on a supply run, and stay for the winter. I say it's time we find a new home."

They started packing up camp immediately after Rick's decision, no questions asked. The men went off to study the map, while the women took to packing up all the belongings and loading them into the cars. Within twenty minutes the gear was packed and everyone was ready to leave. Rick, Lori, Carl, and Hershel gathered into the jeep. Maggie, Glen, and Beth took the little silver car, leaving T-Dog with the pick-up truck and Daryl with his bike. Carol stood on the grass, unsure of where to go. While she enjoyed riding on the back of Daryl's bike, she knew it probably wouldn't be best to crowd the man's space too much. She was moving toward the pick-up truck when someone got in her way.

"Where ya goin'?" Daryl asked, squinting his eyes at her.

"I was heading for the truck," Carol replied, "Figured you might want the bike to yourself this time."

He gazed at her in that intense way of his for a long moment before shaking his head and heading toward his bike.

"I don't think so," She heard him call out, "You ride with me."


	3. Chapter 3

Carol snuggled her body closer to Daryl's as they sped off into the mid-afternoon sun, down a long stretch of road that had branched off the highway. They were in search of a house that was big enough to fit them all and hidden from the road, just in case any of Randall's group came through. The breeze felt heavenly on Carol's face as the warm sun beat down on her head. Daryl himself seemed to be giving off heat in waves, making her sweat even more. They'd been on the road for a little over two hours now, driving past acres of farmland without spotting a single livable home. Most of them were either too small or in direct view of the highway.

They finally found what they were looking for not ten minutes later. Daryl had taken her by surprise when he hooked a sharp left onto a winding dirt drive that she wouldn't have even known was there because the drive was concealed by foliage. From where they were, all she could make out was a dilapidated old red barn with a small white church beside it. It wasn't until they had pulled far enough into the driveway that she saw the large two-story house completely concealed from the road by the church. As far as private and out of sight, this place fit the bill.

"How did you know there was a house back here?" Carol asked Daryl as he stopped the bike in front of the house and dismounted. She never would have expected a house like that would be built behind a church.

"Just took a gamble," Daryl replied, "Most old churches like that usually have a house behind 'em for the pastor."

Carol stared after him in shock as he made his way over to Rick, who was getting out of his car. She was always amazed by the depth of knowledge Daryl seemed to possess, despite his reputation as a dumb redneck.

Carol made her way over to the rest of the group, who were already crowding around Rick, waiting for further instruction.

"Okay, here's the plan," Rick started as she joined the group, "Glenn, Daryl, and myself will check out the house. When we clear the house, we'll check out the barn and the church. If everything checks out, we'll start unloading gear and settling in. T-Dog, you're in charge here."

T-Dog gave him a sharp nod. Rick, Glenn, and Daryl made their way up to the house and disappeared inside. Everyone else returned to their vehicles and got inside them to wait, except for T-Dog, who was standing in the back of his truck, keeping watch. Carol seated herself on Daryl's bike, knowing it was going to be awhile before they would have any news on the house.

After what seemed like a lifetime, the men finally came out of the house, and Rick gave them a single nod, which meant that the house was safe. Carol watched as the men moved across the lawn and slipped into the back of the church. They came out of the church much quicker, and Rick gave another single nod. Carol held her breath. All that was left to check now was the barn. They hadn't had the greatest luck with barns, and Carol was sure there would be something inside that would ruin their chances of staying in the house.

A few minutes later, Rick and the others stepped out of the barn, and he gave them a nod and jerked his head toward the house, indicating that everything was okay and that they could go ahead and start unpacking. Carol grabbed canned goods and blankets that they'd had stored inside one of the vehicles and headed inside the house. The house smelled like dust and mildew, but Carol figured it was better than smelling like death. A long hallway stood before her, with rooms branching out on both sides. A wooden staircase was at the end of the hall. To her left was a formal dining room, which led into the kitchen. On her right was a large living room. As she walked down the hall, she noticed two bedrooms on her right and a full bathroom and closet on the left. The upstairs contained three bedrooms, and another bathroom. It didn't seem like much from the outside, but there was no arguing that this house was perfect for them.

After what little belongings they had left were unpacked and brought into the house, everyone gathered around the table in the dining room. Rick immediately began setting up a perimeter around the house. No one was to enter the barn under any circumstances, due to the state it was in. The church was safe to enter, but no one was allowed to go anywhere alone. The small thatch of woods beyond the house were off limits to anyone that didn't have any business being out there.

Next, they needed to decide where everyone would be sleeping. There were only five bedrooms, so everyone would be sharing. Rick, Lori, and Carl were going to take the master bedroom upstairs because it was the biggest. After some arguing, Hershel and Glenn decided to take one of the rooms downstairs, along with T-Dog and Daryl. Maggie and Beth took the middle bedroom upstairs, leaving Carol the odd woman out with the last bedroom upstairs to herself.

Everyone expressed their envy toward her because she was getting her own room, but Carol just felt like the kid that never got picked for dodge ball. She felt like a reject. As everyone around her made a move to head to their new rooms, Carol made eye contact with Daryl, who hadn't moved from his spot against the wall.

He stared at her for a long moment in that intense way of his before nodding his head once and leaving the room. Carol wasn't sure what it all meant, but she had a feeling it was something good.


	4. Chapter 4

Carol decided she liked her tiny bedroom at the back of the house. It was quaint, with a nice queen size bed, a reasonable closet, and plenty of old books to read. A wooden rocking chair was situated beside the only window, which overlooked the backyard and let in plenty of sunlight. It was now nighttime, and Carol decided to open the shades and keep her room dark so she could make out the stars above.

She was just saying her prayers for the night when she heard the dull thud of footsteps heading toward her room. She lit a candle as a knock came at her door, so quiet she wasn't sure she'd heard it at all. She walked over to the door quickly, wrapping her sweater tight around her. When she opened the door, she was both surprised and excited to find Daryl on the other side.

She was hoping he would show, but she wasn't sure that he actually would. He offered no words of greeting; he merely pushed his way into her room and shut the door behind him.

"Hey," She said, her voice shaky.

"Glenn snores," Daryl stated, explaining his reasoning for being there. Carol smiled to herself. She knew for a fact that Glenn didn't snore, but she would let the lie go. He took a seat on the bed and stretched out as if he was settling down for the night. He didn't bother to take off any of his clothes, or even his boots. She wasn't too surprised by this, though. They all had to be ready for a fight at any given moment; no one bothered slipping into pajamas or bunny slippers for bed.

"So, I guess this means you're crashing in here for tonight?" Carol asked, already knowing the answer. She stared down at the bed as if it were some sort of death trap. This would be the closest contact she'd had with Daryl, well, ever, and she wasn't too sure how she felt about that.

He never responded to her question, so she assumed he had fallen asleep. Quietly, she made her way around the bed to blow the candle out on the night stand. She sat down gently on her side of the bed, not wanting to wake him. He didn't get enough sleep as it was. She stayed like that for a long time, just staring outside at the stars in the sky. When she got too tired to keep her eyes open, she turned to fold back the covers and get into bed when the sight before her made her pause.

Daryl had shifted positions at some point while she'd been staring off into space, and now he was curled in on himself in the fetal position. Anyone else might have laughed at this grown man sleeping in such a child-like position, but Carol only smiled. For the first time, she could see Daryl for what he was: a scared and vulnerable little boy. There was nothing cruel about this man; he was a product of the environment he'd been raised in, and he didn't know any better. Here, though, in this bed, he could be safe and vulnerable with her, even if it was in his sleep.

Carol smiled as she settled into bed and closed her eyes, knowing that she and Daryl had survived against all odds and would continue to do so as long as they were by each other's sides.

Carol woke up feeling like her body was on fire, and she was drenched in sweat. Something heavy was lying on top of her. She sleepily tried to shove whatever it was off of her, but the thing didn't budge. When the thing in question began to grunt and moan, she woke up instantly, trying to sit up. The moans sounded like those of a walker. Carol was struggling and fighting now; she was about to scream for help when a sweaty hand covered her mouth.

"Just me, just me," Daryl grumbled as he lifted his head from where it was resting between her breasts to look up at her.

Carol finally realized where she was and the events of yesterday. She remembered Daryl coming to her room in the middle of the night and passing out on her bed. What she couldn't figure out, however, was how he had gotten on top of her.

"Why are you on top of me?" She asked him, getting into a sitting position as he rolled off of her, "And why are we so sweaty?"

"I'm a hot sleeper," He replied, standing up and grabbing his crossbow, which he'd placed beside the bed the night before. With that, he left the room, not even bothering to offer a goodbye or one of his signature nods.


	5. Chapter 5

Shortly after breakfast, which consisted of canned beans and cooked squirrel, Rick decided that the group should head out to explore the town that was about twenty minutes from the house to see what they could salvage. Everyone was tagging along to help carry stuff and keep watch except for Hershel, Beth, and Carl; they would keep watch over the house. They set out immediately after everyone was done eating; Carol rode behind Daryl on his bike, and the rest followed behind them. Carol had made sure before they left to clean out her giant bag so she could shove as much stuff in it as possible. She was in charge of grabbing toiletries and first aid supplies.

When they arrived in town, they were hoping to find a large store that held everything they needed so that they wouldn't have to wander all around town, but no such luck. The town was small and looked like something out of an old movie; as Daryl and Carol began to explore, she noticed an old fashioned pharmacy and soda shop. Even the clothing stores looked ancient; the clothes looked like they didn't belong to the latest trends. Carol hit the jackpot in the pharmacy. They sold everything from medicine to shampoo. She grabbed everything she could while Daryl kept watch at the front door, occasionally scowling at her and urging her to hurry up.

"Almost finished," She murmured, shoving another six pack of soap bars into her bag. She was already overflowing with stuff, but when she noticed the colorful display over to her left, she couldn't resist.

Carol studied the boxes of condoms carefully, reading labels and trying to decide which would be best. She never realized condoms came in so many shapes and sizes…and designs? Man, times had certainly changed. She went with a few packs of normal sized, normal shaped condoms with no designs and shoved them into her bag, trying to keep her loot from falling all over the floor.

"What in the hell are ya grabbing condoms for?" Daryl growled as he approached her. His face was one big question mark, and she could tell he was mad at her for wasting time grabbing something that he felt wasn't needed.

"Daryl, Lori is already pregnant, and Glenn and Maggie have sex any chance they can get. I just think it would be beneficial to have some on hand for them and anyone else who wants them. Don't be such a stick in the mud," She said, brushing past him and heading out to the street to meet back up with the rest of the group.

Everyone else was already back at the vehicles by the time Daryl and Carol arrived. Daryl glared at her as they approached the others, as if to silently say that it had been a complete waste to grab the condoms. She just glared back as everyone began to share what they'd found. Maggie and Glenn found new clothes for everyone, and Rick found weapons. Lori grabbed plenty of groceries for the new house. Rick assured everyone that there was still plenty more where all of that came from, and that they would be back soon to grab more.

Carol was just throwing her hobo bag in the back seat of Rick's car when she heard a shuffling noise coming from behind her. She turned to see a walker shambling through an alleyway between a clothing boutique and the local grocery. The walker stumbled over trash bags and other junk as it made its way toward her. Carol backed herself into the car, feeling the same paralyzing fear she did back at the farm as walkers surrounded her from all sides. She slid to her knees, tears streaming down her face, her mouth twisted into a silent scream as the walker got closer.

Daryl must have seen her drop to the ground because he suddenly shouted her name, and soon the entire group was upon her, trying to figure out what had happened.

"Sonofabitch, walker!" Daryl shouted, slinging his crossbow around and loading it swiftly. As he let an arrow fly, a gun shot rang out, causing everyone to duck.

"Who shot?" Daryl shouted, "I had it!"

They all looked over to the alley and saw that the walker was down, an arrow sticking out of his forehead. Black ooze was flowing from a bullet wound next to the arrow. They also saw something else in the alley now. No, not something. Someone. Someone was making their way leisurely down the alleyway toward them. Rick, Daryl, and Glenn immediately had their weapons drawn, ready to fire.

"Stop!" Don't shoot!" The man shouted, stepping slowly forward until his face was illuminated by the sunlight.

"I don't believe it," Rick said suddenly, a huge smile breaking out over his face. He instantly pocketed his firearm and bolted up off the ground, heading toward the stranger with open arms.

"Rick, are you insane?" Lori shouted after him. By this time the entire group was off up the ground, bracing for a fight.

"Oh, thank God, man!" The stranger yelled as Rick approached. The two men embraced and shared pleasantries. Eventually they disengaged, and the stranger looked back toward the alley and yelled something. Carol thought it sounded like a name, but she couldn't be sure. Suddenly, another smaller figure rushed out from behind a dumpster and came to join the stranger by his side. Instinctively, Daryl raised the crossbow and aimed.

"Wait," Carol whispered, placing a hand on his arm, "It's his son."

Rick exchanged a few words and a handshake with the boy before leading them back over to where the rest of them stood, stunned and confused.

"Everyone, I would like for y'all to meet Morgan and his son, Duane."

**Author's Note: Hey, everyone! I'm sorry it's taken me so long to update this story, but I just wasn't sure if I should continue it or not. I'm hoping that this chapter was worth the wait, and I would like to say thank you to anyone that has been waiting patiently for me to update it. I'm really sorry! Anyway, I hope y'all like this chapter. I'm excited for the chapters to come because I think y'all are really going to like them! Please review and let me know what you think! Thanks for reading!**


	6. Chapter 6

"Man, I still can't believe you found your family. That's just a blessing," Morgan was saying as they all sat around the dining room table later that night.

Rick had introduced Morgan and his son to the group, explaining that they had been the ones to find Rick when he was wandering down the street after getting out of the hospital. They had been the ones to inform him about the walkers. Carol was absolutely fascinated by the story, amazed that Rick had survived what he had.

"Well, I'm just thankful y'all kept him alive," Lori said, giving her husband's hand a squeeze. They seemed to be doing better now, which was a good sign. Lori gave the man a big smile, the first smile Carol had seen on her in weeks. She also noticed that Carl especially was glad to have Duane around. He'd been wary of him when they'd first met, but now the both of them were reading a comic book in the living room.

"So, Morgan, tell us what happened to you and Duane after y'all split from Rick," Carol encouraged him as she brought the man another water bottle from the kitchen.

"Not much to tell really," He started, rubbing a hand over his face and leaning back in his chair, "We was headed up north to find family. Got overrun by walkers and finally found this town. Been holed up in one of the houses near town ever since."

"Well, we're glad y'all are safe, and you're welcome to stay here as long as you want. We've decided to stay here for awhile, at least during the winter. We could use some fresh faces around here. And I know Carl would love it if Duane could stay," Rick said, turning to cast a loving look at his son sprawled out on the living room floor with Duane.

"Man, we'd appreciate it," Morgan replied, "I never thought we was gonna see another living human being again."

"Then it's settled. Y'all can have the living room to yourselves. The couch folds out into a bed," Rick said.

"Thanks, man. And thank y'all for bein' so welcoming," Morgan told them, addressing the group as a whole, or what was left of the group. Hershel, Maggie, Glenn, and Beth had gone to bed a long time ago. Carol, Lori, and Rick sat at the table with Morgan while Daryl stood off in the corner of the room, eyeing Morgan and fingering a belt loop. T-Dog was trying not to fall asleep in one of the rockers in the living room.

"I'll go get you and Duane some blankets and some fresh clothes from upstairs. We have plenty to spare," Carol volunteered, leaving the dining room and heading upstairs. She returned a few minutes later with a bundle of fabric in her arms. Morgan stood and said his good nights, following Carol out of the dining room.

"Carl, say goodnight to Duane and come up to bed," Lori instructed the boy, following Rick upstairs. Carl scurried past Carol and Morgan after saying goodnight, heading upstairs to his parents' room.

"There's a bathroom down the hall if y'all want to change. I'll place the blankets on the couch. Do y'all need anything else?" Carol asked.

"No, ma'am, we're fine. We really appreciate all this," Morgan said, "Hey, I don't think I caught your name."

"It's Carol," She replied, smiling, "And don't mention it. Any friend of Rick's is a friend of mine."

Not a second after she'd spoken the last sentence, Daryl came barreling out of the dining room, coming to stand next to her, glaring at Morgan. Before she had a chance to react, Daryl grabbed her by the upper arm and hauled her toward the stairs and up to her room.

**Author's Note: Hello! I hope y'all like this chapter! I made Daryl a jealous fellow! Will Morgan try to steal Daryl's woman away from him? Maybe! Please review and let me know what you think! Thanks for reading!**


	7. Chapter 7

"What on earth is the matter with you, Daryl Dixon?" Carol whispered fiercely after he'd closed the bedroom door, "You acted like a complete caveman back there."

"I don't trust 'em. Rick only knew this guy for what, a day or two?" And now he's movin' him and his kid in? I don't like it," Daryl huffed.

"I don't think Rick would risk moving in two people, one of them only a child, if he thought that there was a threat to the group or his pregnant wife. He would never risk Lori and Carl's safety. Rick knows what he's doing," Carol reasoned as she went over to the bed to fluff the pillows and pull back the comforter, "Now, get into bed and go to sleep."

"Ain't sleepy," Daryl grumbled. Instead of getting into bed, he walked over to the window and sat in the old rocking chair. Carol got into bed and tried to fall asleep; she knew that she was exhausted, but Daryl was making her antsy. She knew he had more to say, and she wanted him to hurry up and say it before she went insane.

"Daryl, what's wrong?" She finally whispered into the darkness. He sighed, and turned to face her.

"Why'd ya have to be so nice to him? Getting his blankets and all that. He's a grown man. Could've gotten 'em hisself," There was anger in voice, no mistaking that, but there was something else that Carol couldn't readily identify.

"Daryl, I was just being hospitable. This may not be our home exactly, but he is a guest here. Besides everyone else had turned in for the night, and I didn't mind."

"Well, I mind," He replied stubbornly, reminding her of a small child when they were angry and wanted to pout. He stayed silent for the rest of the night and eventually Carol fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

When Carol woke the next morning, Daryl was gone. His side of the bed was still made, indicating that he'd never gone to sleep, at least not properly in a bed. Carol worked the stiffness out of her joints and headed downstairs. The smell of pancakes hit her like a smack in the face, causing her stomach to rumble loudly. Slightly confused, she headed into the kitchen. Morgan was standing at the stove, flipping a golden pancake in a skillet. He looked up at her as she entered the room and smiled at her.

"Found some instant mix in one of the cabinets. Figured I could at least have breakfast for the lot of ya for taking me and my boy in. Sit down. I got some already coolin'," Morgan told her, quickly piling three large pancakes onto a plate and handing her some strawberry preserves.

Carol took the plate and preserves gratefully, carrying them to the dining room table.

"Thank you, Morgan. I can't remember the last time any of us had anything besides squirrel. The group will like this a lot," She told him as she spread preserves all over her pancakes. She sighed when she took the first mouthful; the pancakes tasted heavenly.

"Glad you like 'em," Morgan chuckled.

Both Carol and Morgan jumped at the sound of the front door being slammed into the wall as it was forced open. They each had a look of panic on their face before realizing that it was only Daryl coming back from hunting.

Daryl strode into the dining room, a dozen dead squirrels and one dead rabbit strapped to his hip. His eyes quickly assessed the sight before him: Morgan cooking pancakes and Carol eating them. She knew nothing good was coming.

"Got breakfast, but I can see someone beat me to it," Daryl snarled, glaring at both of them before throwing the carcasses onto the dining room table and heading back outside.

"Not exactly Mr. Sunshine is he?" Morgan said sarcastically, pouring the last of the pancake mix into the pan.

"He just doesn't take well to strangers," Carol apologized, coming to stand beside Morgan so she could wash off her plate in the sink.

"Well, if you ask me, that one is nothing but trouble," Morgan said, flipping a pancake.

"You have no idea," Carol whispered before exiting the kitchen and heading upstairs.

**Author's Note: Thank you to everyone that has been reading and reviewing! I hope everyone likes this chapter because I was a little unsure about it! Let me know what you think!**


	8. Chapter 8

Daryl was ignoring her now. The only person he spoke more than two words to was Rick, and that was only when he had to. It seemed as if he was retreating back into his own sullen ways. Carol had thought they were getting somewhere in their fragile relationship; he slept in her room every night and was always near her. But clearly she'd been wrong about that. Oh, he still slept in her room. But on the floor instead of in the bed. And they never spoke to each other. Ever. The silence between them was disconcerting. To her, at least.

Tonight was a particularly cold night, and Carol was having a hard time getting to sleep. She sat up in her dark room and glanced over at Daryl, who had taken to sleeping in the rocking chair the past couple of nights. Rolling to the other side of the bed, she quickly got up, wrapping her cardigan around her, and headed downstairs. The tiny flashlight she had stowed away in one of her cardigan pockets was the only light she had to go by. Needless to say, she took the stairs very, very slowly.

After what seemed like forever, she was finally able to make it downstairs and made her way into the kitchen, in search of a bottle of water. She walked into the dark kitchen, bobbing her tiny light around the room and nearly screamed when she saw the figure leaning against the counter. She quickly relaxed, though, when she saw that it was only Morgan.

"What on earth are you doing in here, standing in the dark?" Carol whispered, still clutching her chest, trying to calm her pounding heart, "You scared the hell out of me."

"I'm so sorry," Morgan said quickly, coming to her side to help her get to a kitchen stool, "I've just gotten so used to being in dark places…I didn't think that anyone would be awake…I knew I should have carried a candle in here or something'."

"It's okay," Carol assured him as they both sat down on stools, "I'm just jumpy."

"Rightfully so. Can't say that I blame you. I shouldn't have been standing around in here like one of those things. Guess I'm just lucky you didn't have some kind of weapon with you," He chuckled darkly.

"Yeah, I guess so," She replied, taking a sip from the water bottle that Morgan had gotten for her.

"Tell me about yourself, Carol," Morgan suddenly blurted, turning toward her, "What's your story in all this? I already know Rick's. It would be nice to get to know someone else."

"Mine isn't exactly a story worth telling," She said, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. She wasn't sure if she was ready to share what happened with Sophia and Ed to a complete stranger.

"Hey, I understand," Morgan replied, "You don't have to tell me anything. I still can't talk about my wife with my own son without bursting into tears."

"She was bitten?" Carol asked, her heart sinking.

"Yeah. I failed to protect her and those, those things, bit into her like wild animals. When she turned, I couldn't bear to put her down. God knows how I tried. But each time her eyes would find mine and there still seemed to be some of her left inside, you know? I just couldn't do it."

"I understand," Carol said, wiping tears from her cheeks, "My little girl, Sophia, was bit. We found her in a barn where Hershel was keeping walkers. When I saw her come shuffling out of that barn…that was the worst pain I've ever experienced. I just wanted to die. Sometimes I wish Rick would have put a bullet through my head too."

Carol blushed and looked away from Morgan. She'd never told anyone else that, even though most of them probably wouldn't blame her for feeling that way in the first place. Carol grabbed her half empty water bottle off the counter and got up off her stool.

"Sorry to be such a downer," She laughed, trying to lighten the mood. "I think I'm going to try and get some sleep. It was nice talking to you, Morgan. Good night."

She turned to leave, but was stopped by a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry for your loss," Morgan whispered. He stared at her for a moment longer before backing away and exiting the kitchen.

Carol stood in the darkened kitchen for several long minutes, suddenly feeling as if she were wide awake instead of dog tired. With a sigh, she made her way out of the kitchen, and that was when she ran right into Daryl.

**Author's Note: Sorry it's taken me so long to update. I hope this chapter was worth the wait. Leave me a review and let me know your thoughts! Thanks for reading!**


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